Massively overhauled 2018 Lexus LS is fast, luxurious

Updated 9:33 am, Friday, October 6, 2017

Photo: Jeff Yip

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Scheduled to arrive in February, the 2018 Lexus LS is longer, lower and bolder. Among the long list of changes are slit-type projector headlights and a new twin-turbocharged V6 rated at 416 horsepower.

Scheduled to arrive in February, the 2018 Lexus LS is longer, lower and bolder. Among the long list of changes are slit-type projector headlights and a new twin-turbocharged V6 rated at 416 horsepower.

The LS dashboard features new, laser-cut wood veneers that expose a sweeping wave of bright metal lines that flow horizontally.

The LS dashboard features new, laser-cut wood veneers that expose a sweeping wave of bright metal lines that flow horizontally.

Photo: Lexus

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In addition to available shiatsu massaging, the right rear passenger seat can be reclined up to 48 degrees if the 2018 LS has the executive package.

In addition to available shiatsu massaging, the right rear passenger seat can be reclined up to 48 degrees if the 2018 LS has the executive package.

Photo: Lexus

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The intricate signature spindle grille on the new 5th-generation LS incorporates computer-aided design and Japanese craftsmanship and has thousands of different surfaces,

The intricate signature spindle grille on the new 5th-generation LS incorporates computer-aided design and Japanese craftsmanship and has thousands of different surfaces,

Photo: JAMES HALFACRE

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The intricate signature spindle grille on the new 5th-generation LS incorporates computer-aided design and Japanese craftsmanship and has thousands of different surfaces

The intricate signature spindle grille on the new 5th-generation LS incorporates computer-aided design and Japanese craftsmanship and has thousands of different surfaces

Photo: Lexus

Massively overhauled 2018 Lexus LS is fast, luxurious

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The LS earned Lexus its chops.

Toyota's luxury division was the new kid on the high-rent block when it introduced the 1990 LS 400 in 1989. Lexus had the audacity to gamble that well-heeled, status-conscious European car buyers could embrace premium Japanese cars if they were of high quality, dependable and comfortable.

Many competitors scoffed. That didn't last long, as the commitment paid off and just short of three decades later, Lexus is all grown up with a robust family of sedans, SUVs, coupes and hybrids in front-, rear- and all-wheel drive.

Coming in February, the all-new, fifth-generation LS has been radically overhauled. Longer, lower, and more powerful, the sleek 2018 LS is flirting with an emergent wild side.

Under its taut new sheet metal you'll find new architecture, engine, transmission and safety suite. Lexus said the all-new LS 500 will start "at around $75,000." (The current LS 460 has a starting MSRP of $73,515.) Once again, there will be the hybrid version and a performance flavored F-Sport with performance brakes and tires, its own instrumentation and various cosmetic touches.

But the big news is the smaller engine. A 3.5-liter V6 replaces the 2017 LS's 386-horse 4.6-liter V8. But twin turbochargers, direct-plus-port fuel injection, wastegates and dual water-to-air intercoolers kick the six-banger's output up to 416 horsepower. A boost in torque is there too: 442 lb.-ft. between 1,600 and 4,800 rpm, compared to 367 lb.-ft. at 4,100 rpm for the rear-wheel-drive 2017.

The LS also gets a huge upgrade in the transmission department in the form of a new close-ratio 10-speed automatic that Lexus said puts shift times down in dual-clutch gearbox territory. Going with an aluminum clutch drum, hub and planetary carrier slashed rotating mass. A side benefit is that the lighter components, plus a resin transmission plastic oil pan, help keep the 10-speed the same weight as the eight-speed used in the outgoing flagship.

All-wheel-drive will be available but adds 198 pounds to the 4,707-lb. curb weight of the rear-wheel-drive LS. In dry conditions, the AWD system sends up to 31 percent of the torque to the front wheels and 69 percent to the rear. In slippery conditions, that split can go to 48 percent in the front and 52 percent at the rear.

Don't let the LS's plushness fool you. Lexus said the rear-wheel-drive 2018 LS will bolt to 60 mph from a dead stop in about 4.6 seconds and top out at 136 mph before the electronics intervene.

Performance at the gas pump is more attractive as well. The outgoing V8-powered 2017 LS is rated at 16 mpg city, 24 highway and 19 combined. The rear-wheel-drive 2018 LS EPA-estimated fuel economy numbers come in at 19 mpg city, 29 highway and 23 mpg combined. That's about 4.3 gallons of premium per 100 miles, overall, for the 2018 vs. 5.3 gallons needed for the same distance with the 2017.

Turning to the 2018 LS's bones, Toyota said this version of its new global architecture is a platform that incorporates cast aluminum suspension towers in the front and rear that are attached to the dissimilar sheet metal with rivets and a special adhesive. The payoff is a lower center of gravity, increased rigidity, and front/rear component weight savings of 42 percent and 50 percent, respectively.

At 206.1 inches nose-to-tail, the 2018 LS isn't merely 5.6 inches longer than the 2017 LS 460, it's longer than the current stretched LS 460 L by an inch.

Likewise, the new LS's 123-inch wheelbase is six inches longer than the standard 2017 LS and 1.3 inches greater than the long-wheelbase 2017 LS. Backseaters in the 2018 LS will have 38.9 inches to stretch their legs. That's 3.1 inches more than the standard 2017 LS and 2.2 inches greater than the stretched 460 L.

No wonder, then, that the long-wheel-base model is dropped from the 2018 LS lineup.

One thing that did make the cut for 2018 is the decadent LS executive package, which makes the right rear seat a hot property. Rest, relaxation or decision-making are supported by a powered ottoman, up to 48 degrees of recline, Shiatsu massages and a rear-seat entertainment system if you want to take a break from Angry Birds. Power door shades, power headrests and a cooling box are among the other pampering features. No word yet on what it'll cost, but on the 2017 LS 460, the setup runs $16,400.

While we think most savvy drivers assume the newest top-of-the-line Lexus will come with a sublime ride, those seeking to improve on a $75,000 sedan may want to investigate the available adaptive variable air suspension package, which constantly fine tunes damping by monitoring driving conditions and the road surface. Back again for 2018, the option takes the curb weight to 4,938 pounds.

We'll put the "air ride" up against some gnarly Houston potholes whenever we get our hands on an LS, especially since the 2018 version has 650 tuning points compared to the current system's nine. The setup runs $2,120 on the 2017 but three other option packages are mandatory, so figure on ponying up another two grand.

Mark Levinson, Lexus's longtime audio supplier, has come up with a new stereo upgrade tailored for audiophiles and tuned to the LS's quiet cruising. The 3D Mark Levinson QLI Reference Surround Sound combines active noise control and music restoration technology to produce dramatic music from 23 speakers that are in various parts of the car, including the rear ceiling. The goal was to have passenger enjoy the full 3D effect from any seat while the 16-channel amplifier pumps out what Levinson said is the equivalent of 2,400 watts. You'll need to have high-resolution music files to fully appreciate this system.

Or just enjoy the exhaust sound. This time around, Lexus has given the LS some bark to go along with its 416-horse bite, and the exhaust note now has a detectable attitude when the car is driven aggressively.

At the LS media introduction in San Francisco, Lexus took pains to point out the many interior aspects of the upcoming LS that were inspired by the Japanese aesthetic. The move is bold, and was rewarded with the 2017 EyesOn Design Award for interiors at the 2017 North American International Auto Show, but in the end, we suspect potential buyers will find the total interior environment visually polarizing.

If you do like the artisan touches, the four-door "coupe" proportions and the ample legroom, Lexus may already have you in its sights. The automaker hopes a combination of return customers and conquest rates of up to 40 percent will power sales of the 2018 LS to 1,000 units a month.

The 2018 Lexus is a rare blend of style luxury, performance and, if past history tracks, dependability.